Binless sorter

ABSTRACT

A binless sorter comprising a drum encircled by a flexible belt to hold copy sets positioned on the drum surface at a loading station. Books or sets are made on the drum moving the drum in opposite directions to produce overlying sheets corresponding to the precollated document information. The drum sets are unloaded into a tray through pinch rolls and a roll force acting on succeeding copy sets. The tray is reciprocated on alternate sets to effect a staggered relation of the sets or books.

United States Patent 1 Gerbasi 1 Sept. 2, 1975 1 BINLESS SORTER [75] Inventor: Dennis P. Gerbasi, Webster, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Stamford,

Conn.

[22] Filed: Nov. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 413,724

[52] US. Cl. 270/60 [51] Int. Cl. B65" 39/08 [58] Field of Search 270/6, 7, l0, l3, l4, 19,

[56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,278,188 3/1942 Bamford 270/60 3,191,882 6/1965 Riedel 3,329,424 7/1967 Rabek 271/64 3,567,217 3/1971 Fink 271/214 3,630,607 12/1971 Korn 271/213 Primary Examiner-Robert W.. Michell Assistant Examiner-A. Heinz ABSTRACT A binless sorter comprising a drum encircled by a flexible belt to hold copy sets positioned on the drum surface at a loading station. Books or sets are made on the drum moving the drum in opposite directions to produce overlying sheets corresponding to the precollated document information. The drum sets are unloaded into a tray through pinch rolls and a roll force acting on succeeding copy sets. The tray is reciprocated on alternate sets to effect a staggered relation of the sets or books.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 2 I875 sum 1 q 2 PATENTED SEP 2 ms SHEET 2 BF 2 5 I55 'um m I BINLESS SORTER In copier/duplicator systems there has been a g'row- I ing concern forthe distribution and .handling of the copy sheets in a collated fashion. In the past, sorting systems included large and bulky sorting bin modular units with a multitude of .tra;ys arranged for movement relative to the sheet path for increased storage'as, described in US. Pat. No. 3,356,362. Another approach for the sorter has been rotating housing carrying bins or trays past a copy sheet path as described in U.S. Pat; Nos. 2,951,697, 2,876,008 and 3,076,647. Still another sorter is a vertically moving distributor in the form of trays moved up and down together as described in US. Pat. No. 3,561,754. r l r w The instant invention'sorts and collates copies into sets without requiring massive tray assembliesby loading,the copies onto a drumrin atchain sequence and then unloading them into a receiving tray.

Itis therefore a general object of this invention to improve distribution of copy sheets.

It is another object of the invention to enable the distribution of copy sheets in collated sets in both simplex and duplex modes of operation.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a sorter which is compact in construction and has relatively few moving parts.

It is still a further object of the invention to achieve collation of copy sets by a binless device.

It is still a further object of the invention to reduce significantly the level of noise normally associated with the sorting of sheet material.

The above and added advantages of the present invention will be more apparent after reading the following detailed description which refers to accompanying drawings in which: y

FIG. 1 is a schematic view. illustrating the xerographic components of the copier/duplicator system incorporating a sorter/collator apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the sorter/collator ap' paratus; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating copy sets being unloaded from the drum of the sorter/collator apparatus. 1

The copier/duplicator system .includes a high speed copier/duplicator capable of producing simplex or duplex copies at the option of a machine operator. The

copier machine has a platen for receiving documents to be reproduced, and a control panel 5 which includes various control knobs, switches, and buttons for selecting various modes of operation such as simplex and duplex copies and the number of copies to be reproduced. In accordance with the invention, the copier/duplicator system includes a sorter-collator apparatus 6.

As best shown in FIG. I, the copier/duplicator system includes an automatic xerographic apparatus which includes a photosensitive plate including a photoconductive layer 10 that isplaced over a conductive backing. The plate is formedin the shape-of a drum 1! and the drum mounted upon a shaft 12 that is-journaled for ro tation in the machine frame. Basically, the xerographic drum is rotated in the direction indicated so as to pass sequentially through a series of xerographic processing stations. The photosensitive drum and the xerographic processing apparatus" are driven at predetermined speeds relative to each other from a drive system (not shown) and the operations thereof coordinated in order to produce proper cooperation of the various processing mechanisms.

The original, to be reproduced, is placed upon a transparent horizontally supported platen 4 and the original scanned by means ofa moving optical scanning system and to produce a flowing light image of the original. The scanning system includes an elongated horizontal extended aperture lamp I5 and a movable lens element 18. The lamp and lens: element moves in coordination across the object supported upon the platen to focus successive'incremental bans of illumination reflected from the object onto the moving drum'surface at synchronous speeds therewith. The optical path is folded by means of a pair of image mirrorsl9 and 20 interposed between the lens and the drum surface, the

"drum isfirst uniformly charged by means of a corona generator 13 positioned in charging station A. Under the influence of the flowing light image, the uniformly chargedphotoconductive surface is selectively dissipated in the non-image areas to form what is commonly 'supply of two-component developer material 21 therein. The "developer material is transported by means ofa bucket system 23 from the bottom of the developer housing to an elevated position where the material is delivered into the active development zone. The developer material is caused to flow downwardly in contact with the upwardly moving drum surface under closely controlled conditions wherein charged toner particles are attracted from the developer mix into the image areas on" the plate surface thus making the image visible.

The moving drum surface next transports the developed x'ero'graphi'c imageto a transfer station D. Cut sheets of final support material are also moved into the transfer station, the backside of the copy sheet is sprayed with an ion discharge from a transfer corotron 25 inducing'on the sheet a charge having a polarity and magnitude sufficient to attract the toner material from the drum surface to the final support material. This inport material to the drum surface. In order to remove the copy sheet from the drum surface, a stripper finger 28 is positioned downstream from the transfer corotron. The finger is arranged to move between the drum surface and the copy sheet and lifts the sheet from the drum surface and the copy sheet is directed along a predetermined path of travel in'to'contact with a stationary vacuum transport'29.

Although a preponderance of'the toner material is transferred from the drum surface to the copy sheet during the transfer process, invariably some'residual toner remains behind on the drum surface after transfer. This residual'toner is transported on the drum surface into a cleaning station E where it is brought under the influence of cleaning corotron 30 adapted to neutralize the electrostatic charge tending to hold the reis mechanically cleaned from the drum surface by means of a brush or the like and the toner collected within a housing 31. A conveyor moving in an endless loop through tubes 32 transport the collected residual toner back to the developer housing where it is deposited within the developer mix so that it can be once again reused in the xerographic developing process.

The copy sheet, which has been removed from the drum surface after the transfer operation, is moved alongystationary transport 29 into fusing station F. The fuser 33 is basically made up of an upper fuser roll 34 and a lower fuser roll 35 mounted in operative relation to each other and arranged .to coact so as to support a sheetof material in pressure driving contact therebetween. The lower roll is heated. As the heated roll is rotated in the direction indicated, the heated surface of the lower roll is pressed into intimate contact with the image face of the support sheet. Mechanical and heat energy transported from the roll surface to the support sheets to permanently bond the toner particles to. the support material.

Upon leaving the fuser, the fixed copy sheet is passed through a curvalinear sheet guide system generally referred to as 39, into cooperating advancing rolls 43 and 44. At this point, depending on the mode of operation selected, the copy sheet is either forwarded directly to the sorter or into the upper supply tray 52 by means of a movable sheet guide 45 before entering the sorter/- collator apparatus via a horizontal vacuum transport assembly 103.

It is believed that the foregoing description is sufficient for purpose of the present application to show the general operation of a xerographic reproducing machine. For a more detailed explanation of the copier/- duplicator components reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,615 entitled Copying Apparatus.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, sorter/collator apparatus 6 which receives copy sheets from transport assembly 103 includes pinch rolls 110, 111 at the inlet end of the apparatus to receive the sheets. As the sheets enter the sorter/collator apparatus they are directed onto a chute 113 which guides them onto the surface of drum 120. If desired the sheets can be inverted prior topositioning'on the drum surface. The copy sheet is held ,onto the drum surface by a continuous flexible belt 125 which is wrapped around the drum surface except at the upper surface of the drum where the belt isfed back around the drum through a series 'of rollers 130. There is no relative motion between the belt 125 and the drum surface so as the first copy is fed onto the drum it is sandwiched between the drum and the belt and held firmly into position. When the first copy ofpage 1 enters the sorter/collator apparatus it is fedcompletely onto the drum. in order to do so the drum is rotated in a clockwise direction for a short interval. When the trail edge of the first copy sheet is past a gate 140 and onto the drum surface the drum is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction at a distance shorter than its clockwise direction. For example, the drum is rotated about inches in a clockwise direction and then about 7 inches in a counter-closkwise direction. The gate 140 positioned at the end of the chute 113 insures that the trail edge stays on the drum surface. The second copy of page I is then fed onto the drum and since the drum position is changed from the original position when sheet 1 was fed or approximately 3 inches apart then the sheet 2 is approximately three inches behind the lead edge of sheet 1. The drum is then rotated for the same increments in first the clockwise position and then counter-clockwise directions loading the second sheet and being ready'for the third sheet of page 1. This operation continues until all the page ls have been loaded on the drum surface. The drum is then rotated to a starting position and is then ready to directly go through a similar operation for loading all of the page 2 copies directly over the page 1 copies to fOllTl an overlapping chain of copies comprising each book or set. The operation continues until the entire job is loaded on the drum, it being understood that the belts are' able to expand to allow for paper thickness.

To unload the sorter/collator apparatus the machine operator pushes an unload button on the control panel 5 (FIG. 2) which causes a chute 150 to engage the drum surface and peel the chain of copies from the drum as the drum is turned in a clockwise direction. As the drum turns in a clockwise direction the chain of copies is directed into the nip of a set of pinch rolls 160, 161 as best shown'in FIG. 3. As the pinch rolls 160, 161 grasp the first book or set of copy sheets a second roll or rollers is actuated into pressure contact at the trail edge of the chain to insure that only one book leaves the chain of copies. Book 1 is then pulled from the chain and delivered into the output tray 180. The same operation is repeated for removing the other sets of copies until all the books have been removed from the drum surface. As the copy sets are delivered to tray the tray is reciprocated on alternate sets to give a staggered effect to'the books to place them into separately identifiable bundles. The reciprocating movement is accomplished by mounting the tray 180 on a slide and then movving the tray in one direction then the other as alternate copy sets are emptied into the tray by any suitable means such as a motor 182.

It will now be appreciated that the sorter/collator apparatus of the invention offers a variety of features for providing collated sets of copies corresponding to a precollated document input in a simplified manner. There are very few moving parts on the sorter and the paper path is stationary in the sense that jams are eliminated to a large degree and if a jam does occur clearance is simplified. It will be appreciated that the above invention is advantageous and beneficial in use for present high speed reproduction systems needing a collated output device.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of collating copy sheets according to a pre-collated document page input for producing collated copy sets comprising loading copies corresponding to a page 1 document around a continuous cylindrical drum surface at spaced intervals by turning the drum in a first direction a predetermined distance and then the opposite direction for a predetermined distance; loading copies corresponding to a page 2 document in overlying position to the copies loaded on the drum surface corresponding to the page 1 document by turning the drum in a first direction and the opposite direction for a predetermined distance;

repeating the loading of copy sheets corresponding to subsequent document pages in overlying relation with the aforementioned copies by turning the drum as aforementioned until all the copies have been loaded in a chain around the drum surface;

and

then unloading the copies from the drum surface by copy sets in seriatim into a receiving tray.

2. A method according to claim 1 including the step of reciprocating the tray on alternate copy sets to effect a separation of the sets.

3. In a reproduction machine in which copies of document information produced from a copy processor are sorted into collated sets, a sorting apparatus comprising a drum member having a continuous cylindrical surface;

a resilient belt member encircling said drum member except at a copy loading station;

means for transporting copies to the copy loading station; control means for turning the drum member in a first unloading means to strip each set from the cylindrical surface in sequence into a tray.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said unloading means includes pinch rolls to advance the copy set and a drag roll to hold any remaining sets during unloading of the preceding set. i

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 including means to move the tray in reciprocating fashion to offset alternate sets. 

1. A method of collating copy sheets according to a pre-collated document page input for producing collated copy sets comprising loading copies corresponding to a page 1 document around a continuous cylindrical drum surface at spaced intervals by turning the drum in a first direction a predetermined distance and then the opposite direction for a predetermined distance; loading copies corresponding to a page 2 document in overlying position to the copies loaded on the drum surface corresponding to the page 1 document by turning the drum in a first direction and the opposite direction for a predetermined distance; repeating the loading of copy sheets corresponding to subsequent document pages in overlying relation with the aforementioned copies by turning the drum as aforementioned until all the copies have been loaded in a chain around the drum surface; and then unloading the copies from the drum surface by copy sets in seriatim into a receiving tray.
 2. A method according to claim 1 including the step of reciprocating the tray on alternate copy sets to effect a separation of the sets.
 3. In a reproduction machine in which copies of document information produced from a copy processor are sorted into collated sets, a sorting apparatus comprising a drum member having a continuous cylindrical surface; a resilient belt member encircling said drum member except at a copy loading station; means for transporting copies to the copy loading station; control means for turning the drum member in a first direction and then an opposite direction at predetermined intervals to load copy sheets along the cylindrical surface at the copy loading station in overlapping relationship corresponding to the first page of the document information and continuing until all of the copy sheets corresponding to all of the document page numbers are overlying one another; and unloading means to strip each set from the cylindrical surface in sequence into a tray.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said unloading means includes pinch rolls to advance the copy set and a drag roll to hold any remaining sets during unloading of the preceding set.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3 including means to move the tray in reciprocating fashion to offset alternate sets. 